:Meghna Naidu

{{Infobox person

| name = Meghna Naidu

| image = Meghna Naidu at Press conference of Rivaaz (5).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Naidu at the press conference of Rivaaz

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1980|9|19}}

| birth_place = Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

| occupation = Actress

| spouse = {{marriage|Luis Miguel Reis|2016}}

| yearsactive = 1999{{mdash}}2019

}}

Meghna Naidu (born 19 September 1980) is an Indian actress who has starred primarily in Hindi films. She has also appeared in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Bengali films.

Biography

Naidu's first major appearance was in the music video for UMI10's "Kaliyon Ka Chaman" (2002),{{cite news |title=Meghna: Blast from the past |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Meghna-Blast-from-the-past/articleshow/4871250.cms |date=9 August 2009 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=8 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308235212/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-09/news-interviews/28206680_1_blast-big-plans-banners |work=The Times of India |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Meghna Naidu: I can act well too! |url=http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2005/sep/29meghna.htm |date=29 September 2005 |website=Rediff Movies |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604122842/http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2005/sep/29meghna.htm |url-status=live}} an official remix of Lata Mangeshkar's 1981 song "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" (in turn, the 2002 song "Addictive" by Truth Hurts was inspired by the remix). She was also featured in Saru Maini's video "Dil De Diya Tha (Sutta Mix)"{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} before starting to work in Indian films.

Early life

Naidu was born on 19 September 1980{{cite web |title=I'm already booked: Meghna Naidu |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/28meghna.htm |website=Rediff |access-date=26 May 2016 |date=27 July 2005 |archive-date=16 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916210622/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/28meghna.htm |url-status=live}} in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.{{cite web |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/meghananaidu.html |title=Meghana Naidu – Telugu Cinema interview – Telugu film & Bollywood Heroine |work=Idlebrain.com |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=28 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728072841/http://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/meghananaidu.html |url-status=dead}} Her father Ethiraj works for Air India and was a tennis coach and her mother Purnima,{{cite web |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/28meghna.htm |title=I'm already booked: Meghna Naidu |work=Rediff.com |date=28 July 2005 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=23 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823100814/http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/28meghna.htm |url-status=live}} was a school teacher.{{cite news |url=http://chatinterviews.indiatimes.com/articleshow/886416.cms |title=Meghna Naidu |work=The Times of India |access-date=14 October 2011 |archive-date=13 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313214142/http://chatinterviews.indiatimes.com/articleshow/886416.cms |url-status=live}} She has one younger sister, Sona.{{cite web |url=http://www.shaaditimes.com/celebrities/celebrity-news/meghna-080707 |title=Celebrity News – Interviews – Meghna Naidu |work=Shaaditimes.com |date=17 October 2008 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=22 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222010436/http://www.shaaditimes.com/celebrities/celebrity-news/meghna-080707 |url-status=dead}} She told that she requested her mother to quit her job and accompany her to shooting locations, after her sister who used to travel with her got a job abroad. She grew up in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and considers herself "more of a Mumbaiite". She studied at Bhavan's College, Andheri, Mumbai,{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/29meghna.htm |title='It's embarrassing doing bold scenes' |work=Rediff.com |date=29 July 2005 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=9 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309070938/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/jul/29meghna.htm |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-kaliyon-ka-chaman-girl/articleshow/24554567.cms |work=The Times of India |title=The kaliyon ka chaman girl – The Times of India |access-date=14 October 2011 |archive-date=18 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118101637/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-kaliyon-ka-chaman-girl/articleshow/24554567.cms |url-status=live}} and graduated with a B.Com degree. She trained in classical bharatanatyam for seven years. She stated that she also was coaching tennis in the US for four years.

Career

At the age of 18, she met a model co-ordinator at the wedding of her cousin in Chennai, who called her for a screen test for a feature film.{{cite web |url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/sep07/ent2.asp |title=News |work=Deccan Herald |date=7 September 2003 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721022548/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/sep07/ent2.asp |archive-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/aug/04meghna.htm |title='They won't ban skin show' |work=Rediff.com |date=4 August 2005 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=9 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309070945/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2005/aug/04meghna.htm |url-status=live}} She secured a role in the Telugu film Prema Sakshi (1999), following which she appeared in one more Telugu and two Kannada films. She then appeared in UMI10's music video "Kaliyon Ka Chaman", directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, which she says happened by accident. She was accompanying her friend to the audition for the video, when she was approached by the team. She was asked to send in her photographs and within few days, she was selected for the video. "Kaliyon Ka Chaman" became a grand success and gained her recognition. She subsequently went on to do many stage performances in and outside of India.

She made her Bollywood debut with the B-grade film Hawas (2004),{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-interview-with-meghna-naidu/20110824.htm |title='I'm non-controversial, so I don't get any offers' |work=Rediff.com |date=24 August 2011 |access-date=17 August 2013 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203015051/http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-interview-with-meghna-naidu/20110824.htm |url-status=live}} which dealt with extramarital affair. It was followed by lead roles in Classic Dance of Love (2005), which featured her as a dancer, and Rain: The Terror Within... (2005), in which she played a blind author. In Mashooka, she played a character with negative shades. In her latter career, she mostly made special appearances in item numbers in South Indian films.{{Cite web |title=It is cool to do item songs: Meghna Naidu |last=L |first=Shruti I |work=Daily News and Analysis |date=31 October 2012 |access-date=27 May 2016 |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-it-is-cool-to-do-item-songs-meghna-naidu-1758422 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924155103/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-it-is-cool-to-do-item-songs-meghna-naidu-1758422 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Meghna Naidu in yet another Kannada item number |last=Joy |first=Prathibha |work=The Times of India |date=22 April 2004 |access-date=27 May 2016 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/Meghna-Naidu-in-yet-another-Kannada-item-number/articleshow/34045734.cms? |archive-date=19 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519085711/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/Meghna-Naidu-in-yet-another-Kannada-item-number/articleshow/34045734.cms |url-status=live}}

She also participated in the television shows Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi and Dancing Queen. She played the role of Benazir in the TV series, Jodha Akbar.{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-19/news/45377041_1_jodha-akbar-role-benazir |title=Meghna Naidu to enter 'Jodha Akbar' |access-date=27 December 2013 |archive-date=28 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228012507/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-19/news/45377041_1_jodha-akbar-role-benazir |work=The Times of India |url-status=dead}}

Personal life

Naidu started a relationship with tennis player Luis Miguel Reis in 2011; they married on 12 December 2016. They live in Dubai, and she travels to India for work.{{cite web |title=In pictures: Celebs and their foreign attractions |url=http://www.mid-day.com/photos/in-pictures-celebs-and-their-foreign-attractions/5277/48677 |website=Mid Day |access-date=26 May 2016 |archive-date=4 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604203043/http://www.mid-day.com/photos/in-pictures-celebs-and-their-foreign-attractions/5277/48677 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Luis is a complete romantic, says Meghna Naidu |last=Maheshwri |first=Neha |work=The Times of India |date=17 October 2011 |access-date=27 May 2016 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Luis-is-a-complete-romantic-says-Meghna-Naidu/articleshow/10388101.cms |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512201410/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Luis-is-a-complete-romantic-says-Meghna-Naidu/articleshow/10388101.cms |url-status=live}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"
style="background:#d1e4fd;" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Language !! Other notes
1999 \|Prema Sakshi \| \|Telugu \|Debut
rowspan="3"\|2002	Action No. 1		Telugu
\| Prudhvi Narayana		Telugu
Vendi Mabbulu	Shanaya Sardesai	Telugu
rowspan="2"\|2003	Katthegalu Saar Katthegalu		Kannada	Debut
Don	Jhansi a.k.a. Kaveri	Kannada
rowspan="4"\|2004	Hawas	Sapna R. Mittal	Hindi	Debut
AK-47		Hindi	Special appearance
Coolie		Bengali	Debut
Satruvu	Club Dancer in Dubai	Telugu
rowspan="6"\|2005	Jackpot – The Money Game	Gauri	Hindi
Classic Dance of Love	Doli	Hindi
Mashooka	Sanjana	Hindi
Bhama Kalapam	Anjali	Telugu
Rain: The Terror Within...	Sandhya Bhatnagar	Hindi
Bad Friend	Sargam	Hindi
rowspan="5"\|2006	Saravana	Sathya	Tamil	Debut
Eight: The Power of Shani	Sapna	Hindi
Vikramarkudu	Dancer Chameli	Telugu	Special appearance
Jambhavan	Anu	Tamil
Bada Dosth		Malayalam	Debut Special appearance
rowspan="2"\|2007	Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule	Herself	Telugu	Special appearance
Veerasamy		Tamil
rowspan="3"\|2008	Vaitheeswaran	Roopa	Tamil
Pandurangadu		Telugu	Special appearance
Pandhayam	Herself	Tamil	Cameo appearance
2010	Kutty	Dancer on the train	Tamil	Special appearance
rowspan="6"\|2011	Siruthai	Item girl	Tamil	Special appearance
100% Love	Herself	Telugu	Special appearance
Rivaaz	Chanda	Hindi
Puli Vesham		Tamil	Special appearance
Vellore Maavattam		Tamil	Special appearance
Pilla Zamindar	Herself	Telugu	Special appearance
rowspan="2"\|2012	Love at First Sight		Hindi
Ishq Deewana		Hindi
rowspan="2"\|2013	Parari		Kannada	Special appearance
Election		Kannada	Special appearance
rowspan="2" \| 2014	Ranathantra		Kannada	Special appearance
Dhamak		Marathi	Debut S Special appearance{{Cite web \|title=Umesh gets paid in full \|work=The Times of India \|date=10 April 2014 \|access-date=27 May 2016 \|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Dhamak-Umesh-Jadhav-Rajendra-Bandiwadekar-Meghna-Naidu-Mumait-Khan/articleshow/33560781.cms? \|archive-date=19 May 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519085617/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/Dhamak-Umesh-Jadhav-Rajendra-Bandiwadekar-Meghna-Naidu-Mumait-Khan/articleshow/33560781.cms \|url-status=live}}
rowspan="2"\|2016	Kya Kool Hain Hum 3	Maasi	Hindi
Ilamai Oonjal		Tamil
rowspan="2" \| 2019	Dharmaprabhu		Tamil
Sitara \| \|Bengali \|
2024	Sur Lagu De		Marathi